Ajapsandali: Georgia's flavorful embrace of vegetables

Georgian cuisine, full of aromatic spices and fresh ingredients, is a true delight for the palate. One of its most popular dishes is the ajapsandali vegetable stew, which is warming and packed with nutritional value. Despite its exotic name, this dish is very easy to prepare, and you can easily find the ingredients needed in local stores. If you want to try something new, yet healthy and filling, this recipe will surely impress you. Save it, because once you try it, you'll certainly want to return to this flavour again and again.

In Georgian cuisine, vegetables play a very important role, and one dish that fully showcases this is the ajapsandali stew. Every Georgian cook has their own version of this recipe, and the variety of ingredients means everyone can adapt it to their own preferences. But what do all versions of this stew have in common? Eggplant – a vegetable that is the key ingredient in ajapsandali. Also called the love pear, eggplant not only has a delightful taste but also impressive nutritional values.

Eggplant is rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, and minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Thanks to anthocyanins, which give it its purple colour, it also acts as a powerful antioxidant, protecting our bodies from harmful free radicals. This means that consuming eggplant can support the immune system and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. It’s definitely worth including this vegetable in your diet, and ajapsandali stew is the perfect way to do so.

To prepare the Georgian stew, start with the eggplant, which forms the base of this dish. You need three medium-sized eggplants, which should be thoroughly washed, diced, and then briefly fried in vegetable oil. Once the eggplants are soft and slightly golden, set them aside on a plate.

Next, prepare a large onion (or two smaller ones), dice it, and lightly fry it in a pan. To the onion, add three medium-sized potatoes, preferably of the salad variety. After frying, the potatoes will become soft and perfectly complement the other ingredients. After a few minutes, add two bell peppers—preferably one red and one yellow—also diced. These vegetables will add colour and sweetness to the dish.

The next step is to add two large, ripe tomatoes to the stew. Blanch and peel them beforehand. Chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces and add them to the pan along with two tablespoons of tomato puree. The tomatoes give the ajapsandali its characteristic slightly tangy taste, which perfectly complements the other ingredients.

Finally, add the previously fried eggplants, crushed garlic (2-3 cloves), and finely chopped chili pepper, which will add a spicy touch to the dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with fresh herbs—cilantro, parsley, and basil.

The basic recipe for ajapsandali can be modified according to your preferences. You can add other vegetables, such as zucchini, squash, or carrots. You can also enhance the taste of the stew by adding dried herbs such as coriander, cumin, or turmeric.